Late October
by Eva McGregor
Summary: Aya is dyeing and Schuldich strives to find away to let him live, even at the ultimate price, char death.


Late October

Eva McGregor/FafarellosAya

WK

Aya, Schuldich

Rated: PG-13; for character death and talk about death.

Summery: Aya is dyeing and Schuldich strives to find away to let him live, even at the ultimate price, char death.

Disclaimer: don't own, except Colin.

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**Late October**

**Eva McGregor**

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**Aya hoisted the flowers** up to eye level and knocked on the door loud enough to be heard anywhere in the large apartment. He really hated delivering, he really did, the people he delivered to tend to be heart broken, or just plan horny. Either way they always though he was part of the delivery. For once in his life he wished he wasn't going to be ogled by someone that only wanted him because he was exotic and unobtainable.

Sighing inwardly he reached out and knocked again before hearing a muffled voice yell that they were coming. The person opened the door in irritation his face blocked by the flowers in Aya's hand but still something seemed familiar.

"Delivery for Jacob," Aya said politely thrusting the flowers in the man's face head bowed to read the notification.

"Aww kitten you shouldn't have." The man said in that impossibly annoying accent.

Aya lifted his head and frowned, it was Schuldich of Schwartz. "They're not from me." He said lowly and turned to walk away.

Schuldich stared at him for a moment confused. Here they were two enemies and all the boy could say was the flowers weren't from him? Wasn't he going to kill him or something? And why wasn't_ he_ killing him? He was very confused.

"Hey wait," Schuldich called carefully placing the flowers on the hall table before running after the redhead.

Aya stopped and turned around. His eyes were hollow and bruised from lack of sleep, but the thing that got to the older man the most was that they were lifeless and had none of the spark and fight he had come to enjoy seeing in the younger man's eyes. They hadn't seen each other in months, no one had heard from Weiss in months, so it was strange to see the redhead now; but what was even stranger was the man wasn't even springing to defend himself.

"What do you want Jacob?" Aya asked using the name from the slip while in a public place.

"Well…." Schuldich stated, now feeling very stupid. "Aren't you in the least bit surprised to see me? Or sword happy or something?" he asked like a sullen child that had skipped out on being punished when they for once thought they should be.

Aya stared at him for a moment then away to look at the wall. "I don't care anymore," he said in a defeated voice, "I don't do that anymore, it was just a coincidence someone sent you flowers."

Schuldich frowned a little. "What do you mean, don't do it anymore?" he asked confused, as far as he ever knew- since it was impossible to read the redheads mind even now- Aya only had the cover of a flower seller.

"My former occupation," Aya said sarcastically meeting the man's eyes again. "Look at the card, I work for ikebana now."

"Why?" Schuldich asked stepping closer to the younger man. "What happened to Koneko no Sumi Ie?"

"I don't work for them anymore, at all." Aya said then bowed his head a little, "Excuse me I have to get back to work."

Schuldich watched Aya turn and walk away a frown on his face. What had happened to the redhead since they had last met?

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Two weeks later….

Aya sighed knocking on the door again. This was his last delivery for the day and after he could go home and sleep. He didn't want to deliver to this address but the man had requested him and had talked his boss into making it the last delivery of the day. He didn't want to deal with this right now; he had more problems to face.

"Jacob I know you're home!" Aya called knocking for a third time. "I'm just going to leave the delivery by the door!"

He did just that turning to leave when the door opened and Schuldich looked out into the hall a pair of headphones around his neck.

"Sorry," he said without apology, "I was cleaning."

Aya sighed turning back to the man, "You called in the order, you should have been waiting."

The older redhead shrugged, "The neighbors are fighting," he said pointing down the hall where no sound of shouting could be heard, "They do it quietly but I can still hear them. Come in."

"I can't," Aya said backing up a step, "I have to get home."

"Come on, it's just me, I wont hurt you." Schuldich insisted holding out his hand for Aya to take. "I just want to talk. Maybe have some tea?"

Aya stared at the man for a moment then sighed, "Fine," he said walking forward and scooped up the flowers. "Where do you want the flowers?"

"On the coffee table." Schuldich said putting the CD player in a drawer and went into the kitchen.

Aya looked around the tidy little apartment, noting it was a one bedroom not a four bedroom like he would have thought with Schwartz being a team. "Where is the rest of your team?" he asked looking at a little picture of the four on vacation at the beach.

"Hell if I know," Schuldich said bringing a pot of hot tea and two cups out with him into the living room. "Probably hell. Except Nagi, there's another bedroom on the other side of the kitchen, he sleeps there during the summer. He's at a boarding school in Germany."

"Your choice?" Aya asked raising a delicate eyebrow.

Schuldich shrugged, "I would have gone there when I was his age, if Esset hadn't of kidnapped me. But with them gone now, I don't have to worry about him vanishing. He wanted away from Japan for a while so I gave him several choices."

Aya nodded and went silent. Schuldich could tell he wanted to ask more questions but was either to polite to pry or thought it wasn't his place to ask. "So why don't you work for Kritiker anymore?" the German asked in place of the silence.

Aya shrugged. "I'm dying," he said matter of factly as if he were announcing he was going for a walk. "I'm sick, they wanted to let me have the time I have left as my own. Personally I think they didn't want an agent that could pass out in the middle of a mission."

Schuldich frowned, that didn't seem right or fair. "What do you have?" he asked tilting his head to the side.

"They don't know," Aya said shrugging again, "they say its like aids but not, and it's like all kinds of things but not. I faint a lot and I'm just dying."

"How long?" Schuldich asked pretending he didn't really care by pour the tea.

"A year, maybe less." Aya said taking his cup of tea and held it between his hands. "It depends on how fast my body shuts down." He looked at Schuldich with tired eyes, "Don't pity me, or feel sorry for me. I've made my peace with death a long time ago. If I die I die, that's it."

"That's it?" Schuldich repeated, "Yeah I suppose for the likes of us that's it."

Aya set down his cup, "I should go," he said not offended by the German's remark. He stood stumbling a little and knew he had over done it for the day.

With his inhuman speed Schuldich caught the younger man before he hit the floor. "I hope you aren't planning on driving like this," he said in concern.

"I'll be fine," Aya said clutching to the German until he could stand again.

"Like hell," Schuldich said, "You either stay here tonight or I take you home."

Aya looked at him suspiciously. "I'm not easy because I'm weak," he said defensively hoping the man would leave him alone.

Schuldich rolled his eyes, "I have a couch and an extra bedroom, I don't think you're easy," he said not taking the bait. "But you are not driving."

Aya sighed, "I have a doctor's appointment at ten," he said in defeat, though exactly what he was giving into he wasn't sure.

Schuldich nodded, "You can stay in Nagi's room, and his bed is comfortable enough." He said taking the decision from the younger man. "Have you eaten anything?"

"Not yet," Aya admitted looking a little embarrassed.

"Ok, then you stay here and I'll go make dinner," he said helping Aya sit on the couch. Happy the redhead was comfortable he went to the kitchen again and started looking around for something eatable. In short order he had a pot of spaghetti sitting on the table with two plates and cups ready for use. "Dinner's ready, I hope you like spaghetti." Schuldich said walking into the living room.

Aya lay on the couch fast asleep, his chest rising and falling gently. Schuldich smiled a little at the angelic face and the innocence radiating from the slumbering redhead. Carefully he lifted Aya from the couch noting how thin and light he was. With a practiced ease from years of doing the same thing to Nagi, Schuldich laid Aya on the bed and carefully removed his shoes and outer clothing. Aya moved a little in his sleep when Schuldich tucked the blankets over his body before settling comfortably.

The German stood in the door way for a long moment. He wondered what was ravaging the younger redhead's body and how Aya could be taking it so well. He was sure the redhead had his hysterics already, was passing through the last stages of coping with death, but he couldn't help but feel that something was wrong.

'Something is wrong dummy, he's dying,' his inner voice said sarcastically. He left the room before he could get mad at himself or Aya and put the spaghetti away leaving a plate for himself. Tomorrow he could get all the answers he wanted.

One way or another.

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Schuldich was surprised as they entered a non-Kritiker hospital the next morning. He had figured they would still flip the bill since Aya had been one of their star assassins. They did have some of the best doctors in Japan after all.

The nurse smiled at Aya with familiarity, Schuldich skimmed her mind and found that Aya came twice a week for dialysis and blood tests. Aya hardly noticed when Schuldich got his medical records from the doctor with a mental suggestion. The redhead was missing a kidney and spleen which might account for the need to have his blood purified.

As Aya had said, even the doctors were baffled by the illness.

He sat quietly while Aya was examined and insisted on staying while Aya underwent treatment. The redhead mostly dozed while listening to Schuldich ramble on about the people that lived in his apartment building. The German didn't think the younger man had anyone to talk to now that he wasn't with Kritiker, though he thought his former teammates would have kept in touch.

"Do you still talk to them?" he asked when he ran out of things to say.

"No," Aya said sleepily, "They are mad at me for dying."

"That's a stupid reason to be mad at you." Schuldich answered. "You can't help it, it's not like suicide where you chose when and how you die."

Aya snorted, "Death is different to them." He said in explanation. "People in their world don't die of disease or natural causes, I betrayed them by getting sick and shattering that illusion."

Schuldich nodded, he had lived in that world once too, until the accident, and then he knew better. "Where are you staying?"

"I have a small apartment near the hospital." Aya said opening his eyes a little then closed them again.

"Alone?" Schuldich asked surprised. "What happens if you get hurt?"

"Then I guess I die." Aya said with a tiny shrug of one shoulder.

Schuldich shook his head. "I can't let you do that." He said darkly not the least bit amused by the younger man's nonchalance. "You are going to come live with me; Nagi can stay on the couch when he comes home for the holidays."

"I think that is a wonderful idea." The doctor said choosing that moment to walk in. "Aya you need someone there for you. We've discussed this before, the further you progress the more likely it is going to be that you faint alone in your apartment. Then where would we be?"

Aya opened his eyes and narrowed them at the German. "I knew there was a reason I didn't like you." He said but conceded.

Schuldich and the doctor exchanged amused knowing glances.

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Two days later Nagi's things were moved into the closet in Schuldich's room. Since the teen spent most of the year in school he didn't have much at the apartment and most of that was a spare thing or two. Schuldich had had a long conversation with the telekinetic during their weekly phone call, Nagi acted astonished that the German had actually done something unselfish for once in his life and agreed that he would sleep on the couch when he came home, Aya needed the room more then he did.

Aya didn't have much in the way of possessions. He had a different bed then the one Nagi had which was made for him for therapy when his illness put him in too much pain to get out of bed. Most of the furniture he gave to his landlord as a payment for bouncing on his lease since Schuldich had a furnished apartment. Schuldich snagged a few of the decorations Aya looked longingly at but didn't dare take to clutter his meager room. Said objects looked great in the living room but would clutter his already decorated bedroom.

Schuldich confiscated Aya's car keys insisting on driving him to work and hanging around for a while to annoy anyone looking at the younger redhead the wrong way. In turn this annoyed Aya when the owner actually thanked Schuldich for getting rid of the trouble makers that never came to buy flowers.

For days Aya locked himself in his room after work not talking to the German unless forced too. His doctor admonished him for being childish and making himself sicker from the stress he produced over his hurt pride.

"Illness is no place for pride." He said like a grandfather imparting wisdom on a child.

More then a week later Aya appeared from his room and silently sat on the couch while Schuldich watched an American news channel. He stayed there through two movies and an infomercial for a new blender that could do anything or so it claimed. During the third movie he started to yawn and went to bed, all without a word.

The next night Schuldich was watching a soccer game when the redhead appeared. This time he didn't move when he yawned he just curled up on his side of the couch and fell asleep. This went on for several days each time Aya came a little closer to the German until he was using Schuldich as a pillow while watching a horror movie. Much to the German's amusement Aya hid his face in the fold of his robe when a scary part came and didn't seem to mind that he looked very much like a scared child. Instead of lording over the actions Schuldich simply started playing with Aya's hair like he did with Nagi to calm him after a nightmare. It seemed to work better with the redhead who all but purred as he fell asleep.

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"You're improving greatly." The doctor said nearly a month later. "You seem to have a positive reaction living with someone then being alone."

Aya shyly glanced at Schuldich gratefully but only nodded to the doctor. "I feel better," he admitted.

The doctor smiled. "Good," he said, "Hopefully then you can make a full recovery, I've seen it in patients before. It will take time of course but there is always hope."

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Two weeks later Aya collapsed.

"I thought you said he was getting better!" Schuldich yelled at the doctor as he watched the dying redhead helplessly from the other side of the glass.

"He was," the doctor said calmly. "The disease has progressed rapidly. His body is shutting down."

"Have you found what's wrong with him?" Schuldich asked after taking several deep breaths.

"Yes," the doctor said. "But at this point I don't think we can help him."

"What's wrong with him?" Schuldich asked glaring at the man.

The doctor gulped. "There is something wrong with his left cornea. He needs an eye transplant, I'm afraid if we just took the eye the pathogen would remain. However that isn't the worst of the problem. Without a spleen and a kidney he's fighting a loosing battle. Now he needs two kidneys, a liver, and a heart, as well as an eye. I've put him on top of the transplant list, but I'm afraid he will be dead before we find a match."

Schuldich swallowed back tears he didn't think he would shed for anyone ever again. "Can I sit with him?" he asked softly.

"Yeah," the doctor said absently. "I'll take you to get prepped; no one goes in there without scrubs and a mask."

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"Hey kitten," Schuldich said softly sitting in the single metal chair in the clean room.

Aya opened his eyes looking at the German curiously. He looked rather small and childlike behind the oxygen mask covering half his face, his eyes abnormally large against his face.

"I hear your going to be just fine," Schuldich said trying to make light of the situation even as a tear trailed down his face. "They know what's wrong with you."

Silently Aya reached out and took one of the German's gloved hands in his own squeezing gently. Of course he already knew his fate, the doctor had already told him.

"I know you know." Schuldich said feeling the weak mental hug. He wiped his face on the sleeve of his scrubs. "It doesn't mean I still can't save you. I've grown too fond of our trying to kill each other without having a say on when and how you die. You're going to get better, and when you do we'll take a vacation ok?"

/To where/ a very soft mental voice asked, so soft Schuldich almost didn't hear it.

"We'll go to Germany and visit my family. Then we'll pick up Nagi and go to some other island and lie on the beach. Everyone knows you could use a tan." The German smiled when he saw and felt the soft smile grace the redhead's lips. "We'll take Colin too. I think you'd like him. He's just like me. In fact he would be me except he has hazel eyes instead of green."

/There are two of you now/ Aya asked in his soft mental voice/Twice the telepathic terrors/

Schuldich shook his head. "No Colin didn't get any gifts as far as we know. Which is a good thing. He's a lot like you. Head strong, bitchy," Aya glared at that. "And protective of those he loves."

Aya sighed knowing exactly what Schuldich meant about that. He had stopped answering the calls of his friends to save them the pain of his dying. /Tell me more about the beach./ he demanded instead.

"The beach?' Schuldich asked lost in his thoughts for a long moment. "Well the beach is where all those hunky body builders work out. We could get you a date with one." Aya rolled his eyes, "The waters are always warm, and the drinks always cool. We'll stay at one of those hotels that have waiters bringing everything you want while you get a tan. Nagi will love it, he's never been to the beach before. Or we can live at the beach if you want. Get a little house and surf everyday. You won't have to worry about anything ever again. No more death or killing. Just fun in the sun."

Aya smiled again, though it was less noticeable it still reach his eyes. /I'd like to live on the beach, hotels would feel like we'd have to leave eventually./

Schuldich smiled back, "anywhere in particular?" he asked squeezing Aya's hand a little. Aya shook his head a little. "Oh, well in that case we'll go to Hawaii, choice waves there and no one will notice us."

"Mr. Schuldich?" a nurse said over the intercom. "I'm sorry but Mr. Fujimiya needs his rest. You can visit tomorrow."

Schuldich nodded to the nurse then turned back to Aya. "Well I guess my time is up. We'll talk more about the beach tomorrow."

/Promise/ Aya asked looking uncertain behind his mask.

Schuldich looked back at the window finding the nurse no longer there. Carefully he pulled down his own mask and leaned over kissing the redhead on the forehead. "I will always be with you." He promised.

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Schuldich got a call at three a.m. from the hospital telling him Aya was crashing. The younger man had put him down as his only contact so Schuldich had to make the call whether to keep him on life support or not.

Quickly he got dressed tying his hair back as he ran down the stairs of his apartment building down to the parking garage. At this time of night the traffic was light allowing him to have a disregard for traffic laws.

All his thoughts were directed at the thin thread of thought coming from the dying body at the hospital. If his mind had been where it was suppose to be he would have noticed the other car in time.

The two cars crashed into each other between a deserted intersection. Schuldich felt his airbags deploy before his brain caught up with the fact he had been hit. He sat in silence for a long moment cursing himself for his stupidity. At least he was unharmed.

Then heavy lights filled his vision as a truck came toward him trying to screech to a halt.

/Aya…./

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Two years later…

Germany hadn't been as pretty as he always thought it would. Every street was pitted with a broken promise that could not be salvaged no matter how hard he tried. Even the beaches of Hawaii had lost something though he had kept the dream and gotten a tan.

Aya stood in front of the grave stone with little regard for the stigma of standing on the dead. He didn't much care for the dead; he had sent enough of the living to their deaths to know that the dead could do nothing to him.

Except for one.

He had awoken in the hospital on that ill fated day. Alive and expected to be well. His torso had been fitted with bandages; though care had made the scars faint now. At the time he couldn't see that, his face had been bandaged as well.

A heart, a liver, two kidneys, and an eye; not hazel but green.

He remembered when he saw that eye. He had screamed and cried himself horse cursing the German for leaving him. He had gotten what he had needed, but if given the choice between the two he would have refused the gift. As it was he couldn't give it back, and he couldn't have Schuldich back either.

Months later he discovered what had happened. How he had crashed and the doctors had called Schuldich. Of the car accident the German could have walked away from if not for the dark and the semi that didn't see the cars in time. Amazingly the only serious injury had been a punctured lung, but by the time he had been transported to the hospital he had dyed; but not before giving his organs to Aya if they were compatible.

So Aya had lived, a rare blood type they both shared had saved his life. Not knowing what had happened with the German's body, he took custody of Nagi, and moved to Hawaii as promised. Nagi was finishing his last year of high school; the sun had done him good as well as the friends he had made despite his gift. Aya owned a little diner with a cook that could cook anything asked of him and often had. He had gotten his tan, and surfed everyday.

But he was still missing something. A finality that could only happen by confronting a piece of his past.

Now he stood at the grave bundled warm in his winter coat.

Slowly he lowered to his knees pulling his sunglasses off to get a better look at the grave marker.

"Why?" he whispered tears leaking down his face. "Why did you have to do it?" he waited as if expecting to hear an answer. When none came he put his head to the ground with a harsh sob. "Why? Why? You promised me, you promised…."

"Excuse me?" a very familiar German voice said suddenly.

Aya whipped at his eyes looking with one eye at the man standing a foot away. Same color hair only short instead of long, same features only with more laugh lines around the mouth and eyes. Same eyes only hazel not green.

Carefully standing Aya put back on his sun glasses effectively hiding his eyes. "I'm sorry," he said whipping at his face again with a sniff and looked for a tissue in his pocket.

The man provided a linen handkerchief holding it out until the redhead took it. "Did you know Jacob?" he asked tilting his head to the side.

"You could say that." Aya said whipping his eyes and found his tissue to blow his nose. He handed back the cloth not realizing the movement allowed his eyes to show for a brief moment. One eyes pale blue as to look violent, the other green not hazel. "I should go." He continues turning to walk away where the car waited.

"Hey wait." Colin Schuldich called walking quickly to the younger man.

Aya stopped turning to look at the man silently.

Carefully Colin reached out and removed the sunglasses. "You really did know him."

"I didn't know him." Aya said shaking his head. "Not like I thought I did. He was a good man when he wanted to be."

Colin smiled just a little in a mirror of the quirk Schuldich used to give. "I know." He said sadly. "I wish we had more time together."

Aya smiled just as sadly. "I do to."

The German nodded. "Would you like to get a drink?" he asked tilting his head to the side.

Aya stared at him for a long moment taking in the familiar yet different features. "Yeah I think I would."

Owari

A/N: sorry any updates are taking so long on my other fics, this one needed to be posted since its almost the end of October. everything else except Ghost Walker which I just finished will have to wait until after finals. thanks! Eva


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